Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

I received a prayer card in the mail yesterday from Liguori Publications. It was a prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (which I have reprinted below). I have heard of that name for Mary before, but never knew much about it. Here is the fascinating history of the icon: http://www.marys-touch.com/history/olhelp.htm

A Short Novena to our Mother of Perpetual Help
(Say prayer each day while looking at her image)

Most holy and Immaculate Virgin
and our Mother Mary, you are
our Perpetual Help,
our refuge and our hope.

I come to you today.
I thank God for all the graces
received through your intercession.
Mother of Perpetual Help,
we promise to love you always
and do all we can
to lead others to you.

Mother of Perpetual Help,
confident of your powerful influence
with God, obtain for us these graces. (Your petition here).

Concluding Prayer
(composed by Pope John Paul II)

O Virgin of Perpetual Help,
great sign of our hope,
Holy Mother of the Redeemer,
we invoke your name.
Help your people who desire to be renewed.
Give us joy as we walk towards
the future in conscious and active solidarity
with the poorest of our brothers and sisters,
announcing to them in a new
and courageous way, the Gospel of Your Son,
the beginning and the end of all
human relationships that aspire to
live a true, just, and lasting peace.
As does the Child Jesus, Whom we admire
in this venerable icon, so we also want
to hold your right hand.
You have both the power and the
goodness to help us in every need
and circumstance of life.
This moment is yours.
Come then, help us; be for us
our refuge and our hope.
Amen.